''Mnesarchella vulcanica'' is a species of primitive

moths Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

and can be found in the

Taranaki Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth Dist ...

, Taupō, Gisborne and Rangitīkei regions. It very similar in appearance to others within its genus. This species is most easily confused with '' M. falcata''. ''M. vulcanica'' can only be distinguished by dissection and its differently shaped male genitalia. It lives in damp mountainous beech and podocarp forests at altitudes of between from 800–1400 m and is on the wing from December to February.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by George William Gibbs in 2019. The male holotype specimen was collected by Gibbs on the Erua - Hauhungatahi track in the Tongariro National Park and is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.

Description

This species is very similar in appearance to others within its genus. The forewing of the male of the species measures between 4.3 and 4.9 mm where as the female measures 4.5 mm. Unlike some species in this genus the female is not noticeably paler than the male. This species is most easily confused with ''M. falcata''. ''M. vulcanica'' can only be distinguished by dissection and its differently shaped male genitalia. As at 2019, the larvae of this species is unknown.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the Taranaki, Taupō, Gisborne and Rangitīki regions.

Habitat

This species lives in damp mountainous beech and podocarp forests at altitudes of between from 800–1400 m.

Behaviour

This species is on the wing from December to February.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q108229466 Moths described in 2019 Endemic fauna of New Zealand Moths of New Zealand Mnesarchaeoidea Taxa named by George William Gibbs Endemic moths of New Zealand